Review Blog

Jul 05 2017

Super Fly vs Furious Flea by Todd H Doodler

Super Fly series. Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781619633841
(Age: 6+) Recommended. Humour, Rubbish. This is one in a series
about Super Fly, a geeky school student who loves to invent things,
and one day becomes a super fly, able to fly 9,000 times faster than
normal, cleverer by 9,000 times than usual and altogether a really
handy person to have around. But he cannot reveal himself to his
fellow students, let alone the bully in the school, Cornelius C
Roach.
The first chapter in this rollicking book reprises some of the fun
that has gone on before, acquainting readers with the reason Eugene
Flystein became Super Fly, and hinting at problems he has solved,
along with his sister, Fly Girl and his friend and sidekick,
Fantastic Flea.
But in this story, rifts appear between Fantastic Flea and Eugene,
as he becomes rather conceited after being named Student of the
Season. The Roach senses the rift and turns Fantastic Flea against
his friend. The Flea take his training to heart, getting himself fit
for the big meet.
The humour comes thick and fast with puns on the protagonists names
and where they live. Each part of the rubbish tip at Stinkopolis is
used, including the toilet bowl where Eugene and his family live.
Tongue in cheek humour, a liberal sprinkling of puns and toilet
humour will make this an instant hit with those newly skilled at
reading chapter books. The chapters are short and include
illustrations, and I love the way the author has used language which
will stretch some children's vocabulary.
All in all, fun from start to finish.
Fran Knight